The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-08-13

She would never give him the chance again
And probably he did not desire it after all
Next day she had two callers, Blanch,
Trayers and Wood Vance.
The girl was bewitchingly gay, the maj
kindly courteous as ever, although hi
courtesy hardly extended to Aura.
No snow-clad mountain rising between
them could have been more perceptblt
than the hd'tteur of manner characterizins
both.
Sorely yexed with herself, and vaguely
sad, Aura put on her elegant riding habit
when they had gone.
She had promised Carl to ride with him
this afternoon, and mechanically she pre-
pared for it.
Inwardly she smiled when Carl told her
how beautiful and happy she was looking
few minutes later. She wondered that
the mental chaos claiming her under its in
fluence was not outwardly visible.
The days sped swiftly on.
Wood Vance had made niche of popu-
lar success for himself by his pen. Every
where he was sought and welcomed.
And everywhere his dark eyes sought but
one face. whose owner gave him only scom
for scorn.
A few months later Jasper Mclean died.
'Not peaceably," as Blanche Travers
said with grimace; "but the horrd old
bear must needs put in his will clause
leaving all his wealth to Aura conditionally
that she married Carl the month following
his death. In case she did not. all the
money was to revert to swell the fortune of
Carl, his ward.
Society had no doubt OH the matter at
all. Of course she would marry Pierce.
He was fine young fellow, devoted to her.
To refuse would leave her penniless.
But woman's heart is a mysterious
thing, unreadable as the face of sphinx.
OF course she would marry him, Aura
told herself. Then smiled bitterly tothink
how little love would go with her hand.
Then she wondered if Wood Vance would
smile as she did over the Dead Sea fruit
of their early hopes.
=" AT least have dissembled WELL" she
said. "And he will never know that am
fool enough to care still. After all, though.
the future can hold no title of the happiness
which lies in our past. He is no more
happy than |, for all his great success.
Then she fell to weeping passionate,
bitter tears, of which her world never
dreamed the proud beauty capable.
An hour later she was in her pretty
boudoir, when the door ropened and Blanche
Trayers entered unceremonieusly.
Her eyes were suspiciously red. her lips
tremulous beneath her yell.
oh, by the way, haYe you heard the
news, Aura ," she asked before leaving.
" Mr. Vance sails for Australia tonight,
on the Victoria, to be gone for an indefnite
period. Too bad of him, isn't it, when he
has won such success at home?"
Going to Australia for an indefinite
period Going out of her life, and she
would probably never see the only face on
earth for which she cared on this side the
grave.
Sick and faint with dread she staggered
to silken couch when her visitor was
gone.
The servants came and went through the
great house, and it all seemed to her like
some hideous nightmare.
She gave her maid orders TO admit no |
one to her presence, but every half hour
she started up, listening intently for the
sound of voice which yet she knew would
not come.
AT last she could bear it no longer. She
rose, dressed and ordered carriage.
In her heavy sables, she looked more like
Greek goddess than a living, passionate
woman.
She took the pony-phaeton, and drove
herself-anywhere-she did not care: but |
fate took her beyond the city limits-out
on green country road. She felt that the |
air was sitting.
Coming around curve in the highway,a
horseman swung into full view, sending the
hot blood circling around her heart in suf- |
locating throbs.
1t was Wood Vance. He lifted his hat |
in cold courtesy, and-passed.
That was the cruelest cut of all. If he
had paused in even friendliness to say
goodbye before he passed from her life
forever.
A choking sob rose in her throat-hot |
tears blinded her eYes-she gave the ponies
a quick cut of the whip, and they sprung
at a maddening gallop.
1t was several minutes before she realized
that they were running away
Far ahead she saw the line of seashore,
and uttered a low cry. They would leap
over those crags, and then-she smiled.
After all one dies but onee and she Won
dered what Wood would feel when he heard |
OF the fate TO which he had calmly let his
early love go.
Then The horses swerged aside-the |
phaeton upsot-she was conscious that |
man was engaged In a mad struggle with